COVID-19 Faculty Experts

Brashear is a nationally recognized leader in academic medicine. She can speak to the media about a wide range of issues in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, including impacts on medical education, the role of academic health centers and issues of health equity and community engagement.

Berga can comment on how COVID-19 has affected women’s lives and pregnancies. Her work has included leading an effort to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates among pregnant women in Western New York.

Doscher can discuss substance use and addiction medicine in the context of COVID-19, including impacts on people with substance use disorder, the opioid crisis, rehabilitation facilities, telehealth and other issues. In spring 2020, she volunteered for three weeks as interim medical director at Phoenix House, a New York City-area rehabilitation center, as the region fought coronavirus. She also worked at a telemedicine “instant access clinic” for people with opioid use disorder established during the pandemic at New York City’s Bellevue Hospital. As of summer 2020, she holds both positions remotely from Buffalo. 

Kevin J. Gibbons
Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Email: kgibbons@buffalo.edu. Gibbons can also be reached through Ellen Goldbaum in University Communications at 716-645-4605 or goldbaum@buffalo.edu, or Douglas Sitler in University Communications at 716-645-9069 or drsitler@buffalo.edu.

Gibbons can speak to media about the impact of COVID-19 on medical practices and health care professionals, and the precautions that medical practices, patients and members of the public can take to prevent the spread of disease, including vaccines. ​Gibbons is executive director of the UBMD Physicians’ Group, which offers primary and specialty care for children, adults and seniors. He is also associate professor of neurosurgery in the Jacobs School; physician director of surgical services for Buffalo General Medical Center and the Gates Vascular Institute; and chair of the surgical executive committee at Kaleida Health.​

Gómez-Duarte can discuss infectious disease, including vaccines and preventive measures like social distancing, mask-wearing and hospital infection control; COVID-19’s impact on children; and disproportionate impacts on people of color in underserved communities. Gómez-Duarte is co-leading a project that addresses health inequities in Western New York during the pandemic through community engagement and education. That study also explores how people develop immunity to the novel coronavirus.

Hicar can discuss COVID-19's impact on children, as well as vaccines for this group. He is leading a study that examines how immune responses to the virus may differ in kids versus adults. In addition, Hicar has researched Kawasaki disease in the past and can comment on a serious inflammatory syndrome that has struck some kids who have been infected by the novel coronavirus.

Islam is an expert in pediatric infectious diseases. He can discuss the impact of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in children, including treatments, vaccines and preventive measures like social distancing, and mask-wearing and handwashing. He can also comment on considerations in settings such as day cares and schools.

Kuo, a pediatrician and expert on children with special health needs, can discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic puts children with disabilities at significant risk.​ He can also discuss the impact of COVID-19 on children, and vaccines for this group.

Lerner can discuss COVID-19's impact on emergency medical services (EMS), including the strain on EMS workers; how fear of coronavirus may be preventing some patients from seeking emergency care in a timely manner; and the effects of such delays on public health. Lerner is an emergency medical services researcher and former paramedic.

Milling can speak to media about medical education during the pandemic. Among other issues, he can discuss cultural competency in medicine, how medical schools can improve cultural competency among students, and efforts to recruit more underrepresented students to pursue medicine. He directs UB’s post-baccalaureate program, funded by the New York State Department of Health and supported by the Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY) and the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB. The intensive program is designed to expand the pool of underrepresented, economically and educationally disadvantaged students in medical school.​

Morse — an expert on viruses and antiviral medication — can discuss issues relating to clinical trials and the development of drugs for treating COVID-19. He is co-leader of the Western New York COVID-19 Research Collaborative, and has served as a leading pharmacotherapy expert on studies relating to the novel coronavirus.

Murphy can discuss infectious diseases; how they spread; vaccine development; and how infections invade the respiratory tract. He can also discuss COVID-19's disproportionate impact on people of color in underserved communities, inequities in health care access, and issues surrounding equitable vaccine distribution. He directs the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute.​

Nielsen is an expert on health care policy. A former president of the American Medical Association, she can discuss a variety of issues relating to health care policy, strategies to protect health care workers who are at risk for COVID-19, and public health measures, including the challenges of vaccinating the health care workforce and general public.

Russo can discuss all aspects of infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

Sellick is an expert on infectious disease. He can discuss pandemics and medical issues involving the spread and prevention of infectious disease, including vaccines.

Sethi, a pulmonologist and expert in COPD and respiratory infections, can discuss how COVID-19 affects patients, especially those with underlying lung disease.

Surtees can discuss COVID-19 variants, genomic surveillance and the importance of sequencing the SARS-CoV2 genome as the virus evolves. During the pandemic, she has worked with UB colleagues and the Erie County Public Health Laboratory to conduct genomic sequencing of virus samples in Western New York. These efforts have aided the region’s COVID-19 response, identifying the arrival of new variants, such as the Delta variant, and helping the community understand how SARS-CoV2 infections are changing locally.

Tomaszewski can discuss COVID-19 diagnostic and antibody testing. He can comment on the importance of testing, as well as challenges such as accuracy of tests and shortages of materials. He is chair of the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences at UB, and chief of service, pathology and laboratory medicine for Kaleida Health.

Tsuji can speak to the media about clinical trials of therapeutics, infectious diseases and treatment of secondary bacterial infections that may occur in patients with COVID-19. Tsuji is a renowned expert on drug-resistant infections and serves as associate dean for clinical and translational sciences in the UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Winkelstein is leading a team that developed computer models to help health care providers in Erie County, New York prepare for potential surges in COVID-19 cases. He is an expert on health informatics, and can also discuss the value of electronic health records during the pandemic, along with challenges relating to these systems.

Berga can comment on how COVID-19 has affected women’s lives and pregnancies. Her work has included leading an effort to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates among pregnant women in Western New York.

Fiebelkorn can discuss the role of pharmacies and pharmacists in delivering the COVID-19 vaccine, and challenges in distribution and planning. He can also comment on misinformation regarding vaccines, and effective strategies for communicating about vaccines. ​

Kevin J. Gibbons
Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Email: kgibbons@buffalo.edu. Gibbons can also be reached through Ellen Goldbaum in University Communications at 716-645-4605 or goldbaum@buffalo.edu, or Douglas Sitler in University Communications at 716-645-9069 or drsitler@buffalo.edu.

Gibbons can speak to media about the impact of COVID-19 on medical practices and health care professionals, and the precautions that medical practices, patients and members of the public can take to prevent the spread of disease, including vaccines. ​Gibbons is executive director of the UBMD Physicians’ Group, which offers primary and specialty care for children, adults and seniors. He is also associate professor of neurosurgery in the Jacobs School; physician director of surgical services for Buffalo General Medical Center and the Gates Vascular Institute; and chair of the surgical executive committee at Kaleida Health.​

Gómez-Duarte can discuss infectious disease, including vaccines and preventive measures like social distancing, mask-wearing and hospital infection control; COVID-19’s impact on children; and disproportionate impacts on people of color in underserved communities. Gómez-Duarte is co-leading a project that addresses health inequities in Western New York during the pandemic through community engagement and education. That study also explores how people develop immunity to the novel coronavirus.

Holmes can speak to the media about COVID-19 vaccines and patients who are vaccine-hesitant or who seek religious exemptions. Among other issues, he can discuss how doctors can engage in thoughtful conversation to encourage vaccination among Christian patients who have questions about vaccines. He is a past president of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations of Western New York. During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Holmes volunteered at a Brooklyn, New York hospital.

Islam is an expert in pediatric infectious diseases. He can discuss the impact of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in children, including treatments, vaccines and preventive measures like social distancing, and mask-wearing and handwashing. He can also comment on considerations in settings such as day cares and schools.

Kuo, a pediatrician and expert on children with special health needs, can discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic puts children with disabilities at significant risk.​ He can also discuss the impact of COVID-19 on children, and vaccines for this group.

Murphy can discuss infectious diseases; how they spread; vaccine development; and how infections invade the respiratory tract. He can also discuss COVID-19's disproportionate impact on people of color in underserved communities, inequities in health care access, and issues surrounding equitable vaccine distribution. He directs the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute.​

Nielsen is an expert on health care policy. A former president of the American Medical Association, she can discuss a variety of issues relating to health care policy, strategies to protect health care workers who are at risk for COVID-19, and public health measures, including the challenges of vaccinating the health care workforce and general public.

Ophir is an expert on the effect of media coverage on opinions, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors, including in health, science and politics. He can discuss how news stories and social media impact people’s perceptions of COVID-19 and vaccines; trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health organizations; and intention to comply with CDC recommendations. Ophir can also discuss how people can avoid believing and spreading misinformation about the pandemic and vaccines.

Rodriguez uses computational social science methods to address problems in social work, social policy and human services. Among other topics, her interests include questions at the intersection of social media and social justice. This includes social work’s social media response to COVID-19, as well as disinformation that may inhibit vaccine acceptance in Black and brown communities.

Russo can discuss all aspects of infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

Sellick is an expert on infectious disease. He can discuss pandemics and medical issues involving the spread and prevention of infectious disease, including vaccines.

​Simpson can discuss at-risk supply lines, including for vaccine production. She can also comment on the logistics of shelter-in-place, the power of temporary organizations during COVID-19, and how the pandemic complicates disaster management and response during hurricanes, wildfires and other emergencies. Simpson is a former volunteer firefighter, line officer and certified emergency medical technician.

Suresh is an expert on global supply networks. He can discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting supply chains for everything from groceries to health care supplies. He can also discuss supply chain challenges for vaccine production, and logistical challenges with regard to distribution.

Taylor can discuss the differential impact that COVID-19 is having on African Americans, the Black community and low-income urban groups, especially people living in poverty. This framework includes issues of unemployment, housing and access to treatment. He can also comment on issues of equity in vaccine distribution, and how the medical system's historical mistreatment of Black patients impacts trust in the health care system. Taylor is a UB professor of urban and regional planning, director of the UB Center for Urban Studies, an associate director of the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute, and a member of the African American Health Equity Task Force in Buffalo.​

Yang is a health communication expert. She can discuss strategies for keeping communication about coronavirus clear and simple, and how people can find reliable information during the pandemic.​ She can also comment on effective public health messaging related to vaccines.

Bowen is an expert on homelessness. She can discuss the potential impacts of coronavirus on homeless populations, and how society can work to protect homeless people during this crisis.

Brashear is a nationally recognized leader in academic medicine. She can speak to the media about a wide range of issues in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, including impacts on medical education, the role of academic health centers and issues of health equity and community engagement.

Gómez-Duarte can discuss infectious disease, including vaccines and preventive measures like social distancing, mask-wearing and hospital infection control; COVID-19’s impact on children; and disproportionate impacts on people of color in underserved communities. Gómez-Duarte is co-leading a project that addresses health inequities in Western New York during the pandemic through community engagement and education. That study also explores how people develop immunity to the novel coronavirus.

Good, a linguist, can discuss how language choice can influence the reception of public health messaging. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he and colleagues partnered with public health experts to publish a paper in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization titled, “Public health information for minority linguistic communities.” The article discussed the importance of translating public health messages into a variety of languages, and described some successful efforts undertaken during the pandemic.

Hequembourg can discuss how COVID-19 is magnifying health disparities among sexual and gender minority populations, and how these diverse populations are especially at risk during the coronavirus pandemic, including with regard to mental health. Her research focuses on understanding health disparities among sexual and gender minority populations, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and other individuals.

Kim can discuss the challenges that immigrants, refugees and migrants to the U.S. have faced as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. She is co-author of a 2021 essay titled, “Impacts of COVID-19 on refugees and immigrants in the United States: A call for action,” published in International Social Work. Kim is co-founder of the Immigrant and Refugee Research Institute at UB.

Milling can speak to media about medical education during the pandemic. Among other issues, he can discuss cultural competency in medicine, how medical schools can improve cultural competency among students, and efforts to recruit more underrepresented students to pursue medicine. He directs UB’s post-baccalaureate program, funded by the New York State Department of Health and supported by the Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY) and the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB. The intensive program is designed to expand the pool of underrepresented, economically and educationally disadvantaged students in medical school.​

Murphy can discuss infectious diseases; how they spread; vaccine development; and how infections invade the respiratory tract. He can also discuss COVID-19's disproportionate impact on people of color in underserved communities, inequities in health care access, and issues surrounding equitable vaccine distribution. He directs the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute.​

Orom can discuss how COVID-19's disproportionate impact communities of color and people of low socioeconomic status due to decades of inequities that have made people with less education, people living in poverty and racial/ethnic minorities more vulnerable to serious COVID-19 disease. She is an associate director of the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute.

Patterson can discuss how residential segregation and economic inequality contributes to health disparities, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes issues tied to unequal access to housing, education, services and food.

Raja can discuss how COVID-19 is affecting food systems and food security in the U.S. and around the world. She can discuss resources for helping people access food during the pandemic, including in Buffalo and Western New York. Raja has also worked on projects relating to food security in Kashmir, India and Jamaica.

Rembis can discuss the social and cultural implications of isolation, social distancing, reduced access and healthcare rationing for people with disabilities, including those living with mental illness. He can also comment on the importance of supporting in-home healthcare workers, and of preventing the spread of the virus in jails and prisons, nursing homes, and other assisted living arrangements.​

Rodriguez uses computational social science methods to address problems in social work, social policy and human services. Among other topics, her interests include questions at the intersection of social media and social justice. This includes social work’s social media response to COVID-19, as well as disinformation that may inhibit vaccine acceptance in Black and brown communities.

Taylor can discuss the differential impact that COVID-19 is having on African Americans, the Black community and low-income urban groups, especially people living in poverty. This framework includes issues of unemployment, housing and access to treatment. He can also comment on issues of equity in vaccine distribution, and how the medical system's historical mistreatment of Black patients impacts trust in the health care system. Taylor is a UB professor of urban and regional planning, director of the UB Center for Urban Studies, an associate director of the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute, and a member of the African American Health Equity Task Force in Buffalo.​

Troen can discuss how COVID-19 is affecting older adults, including the pandemic’s devastating effect on people in nursing homes.

Weaver can discuss health disparities among Indigenous Peoples, and how inequities in health care access and services have worsened the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on Native American populations. Weaver is a social worker, educator and researcher whose work centers on the importance of culture in helping processes, and how social work and other helping professions can be more responsive to culturally diverse people.

Chang can discuss mental health during the pandemic, including strategies for coping, stress reduction or stress management. She can also comment on stress for frontline workers such as nurses and other health care professionals.

Cook-Cottone is an expert on mindfulness and embodied self-care. She can share strategies for coping with anxiety, fear, stress and social isolation during the coronavirus pandemic.

Dubovsky can discuss mental health issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, including strategies for managing anxiety and fear. He can also discuss strategies for coping during extended periods of social distancing and isolation.

Gabriel, a social psychologist, can discuss mental health problems associated with social isolation. She can also share strategies for maintaining relationships and social connection during periods of physical social distancing.

Hequembourg can discuss how COVID-19 is magnifying health disparities among sexual and gender minority populations, and how these diverse populations are especially at risk during the coronavirus pandemic, including with regard to mental health. Her research focuses on understanding health disparities among sexual and gender minority populations, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and other individuals.

Rembis can discuss the social and cultural implications of isolation, social distancing, reduced access and healthcare rationing for people with disabilities, including those living with mental illness. He can also comment on the importance of supporting in-home healthcare workers, and of preventing the spread of the virus in jails and prisons, nursing homes, and other assisted living arrangements.​

Sengupta can comment on how parents, teachers and loved ones can navigate and understand the mental health challenges that COVID-19 has posed to children and families. He can also discuss the emotional challenges children and adults face as family members return to school and work outside the home, and how work/life values and priorities are changing throughout the pandemic.

Violanti is an expert on police stress. He can discuss the mental health and work hazards of police officers, who are among essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Violanti is a research professor and a police veteran who served as a New York State Police trooper for 23 years.

Abramovich can discuss how digital technologies can engage — or fail to engage — students of different age groups. An expert on educational assessment, he can also comment on methods for assessing the effectiveness of online education, and how schools can use assessment to support the efforts of teachers, students and families.

Honwad can discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting access to education and exacerbating inequities in educational outcomes.

Gorlewski can discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting access to education and exacerbating inequities, including for students who do not have access to the Internet. She can also discuss curriculum and assessment and the impact of instructional gaps on learning and achievement.

Islam is an expert in pediatric infectious diseases. He can discuss the impact of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in children, including treatments, vaccines and preventive measures like social distancing, and mask-wearing and handwashing. He can also comment on considerations in settings such as day cares and schools.

Karalis Noel can speak to the media about the repercussions of xenophobia during global pandemics, particularly the COVID-19 outbreak. She can also address the role educators play in halting the spread of misinformation, and the effects of pandemics on sociocultural inequality in schools and teacher preparedness.

Pepin is a family sociologist. She can discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted families’ lives, affected employment among parents, and led to changes in how household labor is divided. She is co-author of a 2020 paper titled, “A Gendered Pandemic: Childcare, Homeschooling, and Parents’ Employment During COVID-19.” Pepin’s research focuses on issues tied to inequality within couples and families. Areas of interest include the distribution of resources within families — such as who does the housework, who works for pay, and how couples share (or don’t share) earnings and family responsibilities.

Sengupta can comment on how parents, teachers and loved ones can navigate and understand the mental health challenges that COVID-19 has posed to children and families. He can also discuss the emotional challenges children and adults face as family members return to school and work outside the home, and how work/life values and priorities are changing throughout the pandemic.

Brashear is a nationally recognized leader in academic medicine. She can speak to the media about a wide range of issues in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, including impacts on medical education, the role of academic health centers and issues of health equity and community engagement.

Chang can discuss mental health during the pandemic, including strategies for coping, stress reduction or stress management. She can also comment on stress for frontline workers such as nurses and other health care professionals.

Kevin J. Gibbons
Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Email: kgibbons@buffalo.edu. Gibbons can also be reached through Ellen Goldbaum in University Communications at 716-645-4605 or goldbaum@buffalo.edu, or Douglas Sitler in University Communications at 716-645-9069 or drsitler@buffalo.edu.

Gibbons can speak to media about the impact of COVID-19 on medical practices and health care professionals, and the precautions that medical practices, patients and members of the public can take to prevent the spread of disease, including vaccines. ​Gibbons is executive director of the UBMD Physicians’ Group, which offers primary and specialty care for children, adults and seniors. He is also associate professor of neurosurgery in the Jacobs School; physician director of surgical services for Buffalo General Medical Center and the Gates Vascular Institute; and chair of the surgical executive committee at Kaleida Health.​

Milling can speak to media about medical education during the pandemic. Among other issues, he can discuss cultural competency in medicine, how medical schools can improve cultural competency among students, and efforts to recruit more underrepresented students to pursue medicine. He directs UB’s post-baccalaureate program, funded by the New York State Department of Health and supported by the Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY) and the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB. The intensive program is designed to expand the pool of underrepresented, economically and educationally disadvantaged students in medical school.​

Sands can discuss how society can prepare students in health care and other professions to respond to disasters and emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Sands is a nurse practitioner who also has many years of experience as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician.

Sands can discuss how society can prepare students in health care and other professions to respond to disasters and emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Sands is a nurse practitioner who also has many years of experience as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician.

​Simpson can discuss at-risk supply lines, including for vaccine production. She can also comment on the logistics of shelter-in-place, the power of temporary organizations during COVID-19, and how the pandemic complicates disaster management and response during hurricanes, wildfires and other emergencies. Simpson is a former volunteer firefighter, line officer and certified emergency medical technician.

Suresh is an expert on global supply networks. He can discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting supply chains for everything from groceries to health care supplies. He can also discuss supply chain challenges for vaccine production, and logistical challenges with regard to distribution.

Violanti is an expert on police stress. He can discuss the mental health and work hazards of police officers, who are among essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Violanti is a research professor and a police veteran who served as a New York State Police trooper for 23 years.

Ye is an expert on wastewater surveillance of COVID-19 and other diseases, and the utility of such technologies in monitoring and preventing disease, and in tracking trends during pandemics. Her team has been engaged in projects that aim to monitor the prevalence of human diseases by detecting and quantifying biomarkers, such as viral proteins and genes, in wastewater.

Bezrukova is an expert on leadership and managing teams. She can share strategies for leading teams effectively and compassionately at a time when remote work is on the rise and many people are juggling work, parenting and other responsibilities. Bezrukova can discuss effective management of both in-person and virtual teams.

Dimick can discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting workers, including gig workers and others with limited job security. He can also comment on how economic inequality is exacerbating the pandemic's effect, and what solutions policymakers can pursue in the areas of labor and employment law and tax and welfare policy.

Hatton is an expert on the labor force, including the gig economy. She can discuss the impacts of coronavirus on workers, including those who are part of the gig economy and lack job security.

Maynes is an expert on team performance and employee productivity. He can discuss remote work and virtual teams, and how managers can maintain trust and encourage continued innovation during the pandemic. Maynes can also discuss effective management of in-person teams.

Pepin is a family sociologist. She can discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted families’ lives, affected employment among parents, and led to changes in how household labor is divided. She is co-author of a 2020 paper titled, “A Gendered Pandemic: Childcare, Homeschooling, and Parents’ Employment During COVID-19.” Pepin’s research focuses on issues tied to inequality within couples and families. Areas of interest include the distribution of resources within families — such as who does the housework, who works for pay, and how couples share (or don’t share) earnings and family responsibilities.

Tiu is an expert on financial issues. He can discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the stock market.

Fotak can discuss the pandemic's impact on small businesses and entrepreneurs, and on the stock market. He can also comment on government stimulus packages for businesses.

Neiheisel can discuss the effects COVID-19 is having on the 2020 presidential campaign, voting systems and voter turnout.

Friedman can discuss Canada-U.S. relations during the COVID-19 pandemic, encompassing issues such as travel restrictions, policy decisions, trade and labor mobility.

Karalis Noel can speak to the media about the repercussions of xenophobia during global pandemics, particularly the COVID-19 outbreak. She can also address the role educators play in halting the spread of misinformation, and the effects of pandemics on sociocultural inequality in schools and teacher preparedness.

Good, a linguist, can discuss how language choice can influence the reception of public health messaging. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he and colleagues partnered with public health experts to publish a paper in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization titled, “Public health information for minority linguistic communities.” The article discussed the importance of translating public health messages into a variety of languages, and described some successful efforts undertaken during the pandemic.

Joseph uses computer science techniques to study social and cultural issues. He is a member of teams that have studied patterns of online local news consumption in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as COVID-19 misinformation on social media.

Julien is an expert on digital literacy. She can discuss fake news and misinformation, and how people can successfully seek out accurate, trustworthy sources of information about COVID-19.

Karalis Noel can speak to the media about the repercussions of xenophobia during global pandemics, particularly the COVID-19 outbreak. She can also address the role educators play in halting the spread of misinformation, and the effects of pandemics on sociocultural inequality in schools and teacher preparedness.

Ophir is an expert on the effect of media coverage on opinions, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors, including in health, science and politics. He can discuss how news stories and social media impact people’s perceptions of COVID-19 and vaccines; trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health organizations; and intention to comply with CDC recommendations. Ophir can also discuss how people can avoid believing and spreading misinformation about the pandemic and vaccines.

Rodriguez uses computational social science methods to address problems in social work, social policy and human services. Among other topics, her interests include questions at the intersection of social media and social justice. This includes social work’s social media response to COVID-19, as well as disinformation that may inhibit vaccine acceptance in Black and brown communities.

Wang can offer insight into essential skills for navigating the media and finding accurate information during the COVID-19 and other crises.

Yang is a health communication expert. She can discuss strategies for keeping communication about coronavirus clear and simple, and how people can find reliable information during the pandemic.​ She can also comment on effective public health messaging related to vaccines.

Sun can comment on how COVID-19 lockdowns impacted global air pollution and air quality. He leads a team that uses on-site observations, satellite remote sensing and numerical modeling of the Earth's atmosphere to understand air pollution and climate change. His work during the pandemic has included studying air pollution in regions where lockdown measures impacted emissions of atmospheric pollutants.